Himachal HC stays pollution notice to Wildflower Hall

Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh High Court today stayed the notice of the state pollution control board given to the Oberoi Wildflower Hall hotel for violating pollution norms.

A division bench of Justice RB Mishra and Justice VK Ahuja, while staying the notice, directed the government and the pollution control board to file a reply within four weeks.

Contesting the state pollution control board notice, Mashobra Resort Company, which runs the Wildflower Hall, informed the high court that the hotel has a proper functional sewerage treatment plant. Moreover, the board has not given the 15-day notice to the Wildflower Hall as required under the act.

Earlier, the state pollution control board had issued a notice to the hotel for allegedly discharging sewage into a natural drain in forests adjoining the hotel which was contaminating drinking water sources of more than 12 villages located in the hotel vicinity.

Acting on the complaint of the villagers, the pollution control board found that the hotel was discharging the treated sewage water meant for irrigating hotel gardens into the drain.